How to Install Underwater Swimming Pool Lights

Written by ehow home & garden editor

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Installing underwater swimming pool lights need not be an expensive or time-consuming task. Many nonconstruction underwater swimming pool lights (battery-operated and hanging cord-style) take only moments to install. Enjoy your pool from a new perspective!

Install your batteries. If you're using suction cup-style battery-operated underwater swimming pool lights, set your light cycle by pressing the light's face, and then affix the light to the pool wall or bottom surface. Remember to manually turn off your lights when not using them. Go to Step 3 if using a hard-walled light; skip to Step 6 if using a soft-sided model.

3

Place your light, if you're using a hard-walled corded model, in a bucket of water to verify its seal is watertight. Use hard-wall corded models only on flat aluminum, steel or plastic resin pools.

4

Turn off your pool's pump, unless your light's instructions state otherwise, and mount your light's transformer on a surface near an outlet away from the pool. Plug in the transformer and run light tests to be sure the light works correctly.

5

Remove the section of your pool's ledge where you wish to install the light. Hang the light on the ledge, affix it, hide the wiring as directed by the light's installation manual and then replace the ledge.

6

Test the watertightness of a soft-sided corded-style underwater swimming pool light by placing it in a bucket of water. Once you have verified the seal, follow the directions in Step 4 for hard-sided corded lights. After verifying the light works correctly, hang the light over the pool rail and tighten it to the rail as directed by the light's installation manual.

Tips and warnings

Never use extension cords with above-ground hard-walled or soft-sided corded-style underwater swimming pool lights, as pool water or moisture where the light's cord connects to the extension cord can cause electrical shock or sparking.

Always bury cords or place trip hazard safety signs around them to reduce accidental falls and electrical accidents.